School Cashier, 26, On Trial For Allegedly Misappropriating N11.9m

A 26-year old cashier, Patience Alidu, was on Wednesday arraigned in the Chief Magistrate’s Court, Makurdi for allegedly misappropriating N11.9m belonging to Heritage Academy and College, North-Bank, Makurdi.

Alidu is standing trial for criminal conspiracy, breach of trust, misappropriation and forgery.

The prosecutor, Insp. Hyacinth Gbakor, told the court that the Director of Administration in the school, Gabriel Augustine, reported the case to the police in Makurdi on July 18.

He said the director, on the instruction of the school proprietress, Veronica Aluma, audited the school’s accounts for the first and second terms of the 2016/2017 academic session.

He said that during the audit, the accused was unable to give a satisfactory explanation about the N11.9m.

The prosecutor said that the accused forged some official receipts of the schools to cover up the fraud.

He said during the investigation the accused confessed to committing the fraud in connivance with her brother, Isreal and one Evelyn Koyejo, both of whom are at large.

Gbakor said that the offence contravened Sections 97, 315, 310 and 365 of the Penal Code Laws of Benue State.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges and her counsel, Mr I.F. Elawani, urged the court to grant her bail, promising that she would not jump bail.

The Chief Magistrate, Mr Isaac Ajim, granted bail to the accused in the sum of N200,000 with one surety in like sum.